Performance Management at JLK

Performance management at JLK is a rhythm, not a crisis intervention. If the rhythm is running, formal PIPs are rare — issues get named and resolved at 1:1 or quarterly review.

The four-tier cadence:

1. Weekly 1:1 (20–30 min). Every direct report, every week. Not optional. Coaching questions first, updates second, standards last.
2. Quarterly review (60–90 min). Structured: what's going well · what's not · what's the plan for the next 90 days · one development focus. Written up, both sign.
3. Annual review (2 hours). Whole year's arc. Career pathway conversation. Salary discussion. Written development plan for the year ahead.
4. Formal performance management (PIP). When the rhythm hasn't fixed a specific, named issue. Structured, documented, time-bound.

What each conversation is FOR:

• 1:1: unblock, coach, catch signals early, name small standards before they become patterns.
• Quarterly: zoom out, look at trends, agree the next quarter's focus. Not the moment to raise new issues you've been sitting on.
• Annual: career, pay, big-picture development. Long-arc.
• PIP: a specific named issue that hasn't resolved through routine cadence, with a written plan, time-bounded outcomes, and clear consequences.

• I run weekly 1:1s with every direct report — not optional
• I never save new issues for the quarterly review — they get raised at the next 1:1
• A PIP is never a surprise — the person knows the pattern before formal starts

The JLK quarterly review is 60–90 minutes, sat down properly, phone away, no interruptions. Book it 2 weeks ahead so both sides can prepare.

Pre-work (both do it):

• Leader pulls: last quarter's plan, 1:1 notes, any incidents/observations, key metrics for their role, feedback from the team.
• Staff member pulls: their own reflection on the quarter, one thing they're proud of, one thing that didn't work, what they want next.

The JLK 5-part review structure (~75 min):

1. Warm-up + purpose (5 min). “This is a conversation, not a scorecard. What's on your mind?”
2. Their reflection first (15 min). Before you share your take. Listen fully. Notes optional.
3. Your read (15 min). What you've noticed. Specific examples with dates. Balance strengths and gaps — not a sandwich but honest both ways.
4. Next 90 days (25 min). Agree 2–3 focus areas. What good looks like. What support you'll provide. What they'll do.
5. Development + close (15 min). One development goal for the quarter. Any career conversation. Book next quarterly. Both sign the written summary.

Documentation:

• Written summary within 3 working days of the meeting.
• Both parties sign (email confirmation counts).
• Stored in staff file (paper or HR system, per JLK setup).
• Copy to the staff member.

• I follow the JLK 5-part quarterly review structure
• I don't save issues for the quarterly — I raise them at 1:1s
• I document within 3 working days and both parties sign

A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is used when a specific, named issue has not resolved through routine 1:1 and quarterly cadence. It's not a route to dismissal — it's a structured attempt to fix a problem before dismissal becomes the only option.

Before you open a PIP, ALL of these should be true:

1. The specific issue has been named clearly in at least 2 previous 1:1s, with dated notes.
2. You've told the staff member what good looks like — concretely.
3. You've offered support (training, mentoring, adjustment) — and documented what was offered.
4. Sufficient time has passed to see whether the informal help worked.
5. You've spoken to your line manager and HR (or director for smaller settings) before proposing formal PM.

The PIP conversation itself:

• Book it. Don't ambush. “I'd like to sit down about your development on Wednesday, 3pm, 45 minutes.”
• Staff member has the right to be accompanied by a colleague or trade union rep. Tell them this at booking.
• Come with the written PIP draft. Read it out. Give a copy.
• Cover: specific issue · what has been raised previously (dates) · what good looks like · what support will be provided · review dates · consequences if not improved.
• Listen to their response. They can push back on any specific claim — and you should adjust the PIP if their pushback is valid.
• Both sign at the end — or agree to re-meet within 3 working days if they want time to consider.

Review dates: weekly during a 4–6 week PIP, or fortnightly during 8–12 weeks. Written outcome at each: on track / partial / off track. End-of-PIP conversation: pass · extend once · move to formal capability / disciplinary. HR sign-off required at every stage.

Documentation quality: if a JLK PIP ended in dismissal and went to tribunal, the paper trail should show:

• Issue named at multiple 1:1s with dates.
• Concrete support offered and accepted or refused.
• Written PIP with signature.
• Written review notes at each stage.
• Right of accompaniment offered at every formal meeting.
• Final decision letter with rationale and right of appeal.

• I know the 5 pre-conditions before opening a formal PIP
• A PIP has specific, measurable outcomes — never “improve attitude”
• I always offer the right of accompaniment before formal meetings
• I document each stage in a way that would stand up at tribunal

You're the manager at JLK Lewisham. Nadia, a Level 3 practitioner who's been with JLK for 18 months, has been showing up 10–20 minutes late for shift over the past 5 weeks. You've mentioned it at 2 of her weekly 1:1s (dated notes). She apologised both times, said her partner had a new schedule, but nothing has changed. Yesterday she was 25 minutes late and the toddler room opened understaffed.

You're considering opening a PIP. Would it stand up?

Reveal JLK read

What's in place: ✅ Issue named at 2 prior 1:1s, dated notes. ✅ Impact clear (understaffed room = ratio breach risk).

What's missing before a PIP:

1. ❌ You haven't offered specific support. Have you asked what would help? Could shift start move by 15 min? Is there an underlying reason (childcare arrangement, mental health, unsafe home)?
2. ❌ You haven't yet said clearly “this is close to formal performance management”. She should know before the PIP letter arrives.
3. ❌ You haven't consulted HR or your line manager.

The correct sequence:

1. This week — book a proper 30-min conversation (not 1:1 add-on). Ask what's going on, warmly. Offer specific support. Say clearly: “If this continues past two more weeks I'll need to open a formal PIP. I don't want to. Let's work out what would actually fix this.”
2. Document the conversation and the specific support offered.
3. Two weeks — review. If arrivals are on time, close the informal cycle with a written note. If not, consult HR, draft the PIP.
4. Formal PIP — booked with 48-hour notice, right of accompaniment offered, written plan ready.

If you skip the specific-support step the PIP may still legally hold — but it wouldn't feel humane, wouldn't match the JLK ethos, and would damage team trust when others heard about it.

• I can spot when a case is ready for formal PM vs still needs one more informal round
• I offer specific support and consult HR before drafting a formal PIP